A Final Fantasy Christmas Carol
by psychostudent06
Summary: One night Auron is haunted by 3 spirits after a visit from the spirit of Braska. Rated T
1. Chapter 1

This will be a kind of weird. Its rated T.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or A Christmas Carol.

* * *

A Final Fantasy Christmas Carol

* * *

"Its so cold Auron, can we please stop?" Rikku asked tugging on the older guardian's coat. It was just December but the temperatures were well below what they normally were at this time of the year, even for the large mountain that loomed up ahead. This would be the group's second trip up the large mountain; they needed three Behemoths, two Bashuras, and one Grendel to complete their fiend collection from Gagazet. Then it would be through Zanarkand for the second time, mostly for the experience.

The older guardian had been pushing them too hard, even though they knew it was to protect them, it was Christmas Eve and they had only stopped once today. The closer they got to the huge mountain the colder it seemed, and the youngest guardian was shaking like a leaf on a tree in a windstorm.

"Auron, Rikku's right its cold and we've not eaten anything since morning, I'm hungry." Tidus spoke up rubbing his stomach.

"We have to move, the sooner we reach the Ronso camp, the sooner we rest." The older guardian states coldly.

"Auron, please it's cold, we're hungry, and we've not rested but once today." Wakka says, "Please Sir Auron, I feel like if I don't get off my feet they're going to come off."

"The sooner we reach the camp, the sooner we can rest."

"Okay ya big meanie, if I die of hypothermia it's your fault!"

After the group reached the Ronso camp they ate and most of them went to bed. Yuna and Lulu sat up talking to Auron.

"Sir Auron, tomorrow is Christmas. I was wondering, could we maybe rest here for tomorrow? We've all worked very hard recently and we are needing a break."

"Lulu, it would be best if we moved on tomorrow."

"But it's Christmas."

"Christmas is just like any other day."

"Sir Auron, at least can we sleep in tomorrow?" Yuna asks.

"Yuna, do you want to finish this pilgrimage quickly?"

"Yes."

"Would you place the rest of Spira in danger, just so you could sleep in?"

"No sir. But sir, Sin hasn't attacked anyone since we killed Yunalesca."

"I think we should move on, treating tomorrow as any other day."

"But Sir Auron its Christmas. Can we at least stop early tomorrow night?"

"We'll see." Auron says as he gets up and goes into his tent; early to bed, early to rise as they used to say. Inside his tent he takes off his coat and shades before sitting down on his sleeping bag. He leans back and relaxes a few minutes before lying down.

After a while he sees a light outside of his tent. He gets up and walks outside. "If I catch Rikku, Tidus, and Wakka into anything I swear I'll make them wish they were never born." He mutters. Outside all he sees is the falling snow.

Suddenly he sees a light so bright that he has to cover his eyes. He hears several loud noises and then something slaps him in the back of the head. He turns around to see Braska standing before him.

"Hello Auron."

"My Lord?"

"Auron, how many times have I asked you not to call me that?"

"My Lord… I mean Braska, how can you be here? Aren't you in the Farplane?"

"Yes, Auron I am."

"How…

"Enough of that Auron. The question you should be asking is why."

"Why?"

"Auron, the Farplane isn't what you would expect. If you've lived a happy life the Farplane is good to you, if you've wasted your time and wasn't very happy while you lived it's a cold and dull place."

"My Lord wasn't you happy in life?"

"Yes I thought I was, but Auron I missed so much. I missed seeing my daughter walk for the first time. I missed seeing her eat for the first time alone. I missed hearing her say, 'daddy' for the first time. Auron I could have loved again, if I had of taken the time to do so. I could have given Yuna the childhood she deserved had of I taken the time. I could have done a lot of things had of I taken the time."

"But My Lord you defeated Sin, isn't that enough?"

"Auron, defeating Sin should have been one goal of mine, but living should have been another goal."

"My Lord you did live."

"Yes and no. I was alive, but I never truly lived. Defeating Sin became my main goal. I never thought about how Yuna would feel without her father."

"But My Lord, by defeating Sin you was protecting Yuna and the rest of Spira."

"Yes I was. Auron you were right, there is another way, and you have found it. If I had of listened to you, Yuna never would have been put through this. I guess in a strange way that is one of the reasons I am here with you now."

"What do you mean?"

"You tried to save me while I was alive, and now it's my turn. Auron you have wasted so much time. Auron right now you could be laying in the arms of a woman who you love, and who loves you. You could be happy. You could be enjoying your last days on Spira." Braska says. "Auron this is a warning, tonight you will be visited by three spirits. The first will visit when the first bell tolls. The second will visit with the howling of the wind. And the third will be here when the last bell tolls. These spirits will serve as guides. You must choose Auron, choose to be happy and to live, or my visit tonight will be in vain. Old friend remember what I've said."

"My Lord… Before Auron could finish his sentence Braska had disappeared. Auron walked around the camp checking the other guardians. None of them had been disturbed by Braska's visit. He walked into his tent, a little shaken and proceeded to lie down. Braska's visit replayed a dozen times in his head as he attempted to fall asleep.

Would there really be three spirits visiting him tonight?


	2. Chapter 2

Told ya this would be weird.

I do not own Final Fantasy or A Christmas Carol.

* * *

A Final Fantasy Christmas Carol

* * *

The night grew colder as the hours passed, or the minutes no one could really be sure. Auron lay on his sleeping bag unable to fall asleep. The nighttime sounds of fiends far away from the camp, keeping him alert. He kept thinking of Braska's visit, but really didn't believe there would be any spirits coming to him tonight. Braska visiting him probably had just been a hallucination. 

Suddenly he heard a bell ringing from outside of his tent. _The first will visit when the first bell tolls._ He got up and slowly walked out. There was nothing there. He turned around and went back into his tent. There he saw a man standing wearing a long cape. The man turned around to face Auron, it was Kinoc.

"Kinoc?"

"Yes Auron, that is who I was in life, but now, I am a spirit. I am the ghost of Christmas past."

"What brings you here?"

"Your welfare."

"Okay." Auron said as he stood before the ghost.

"Follow me." Kinoc says as he walks out of the tent. Auron follows him out of the tent.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Kinoc says. Outside of the tent its daylight and they are on a wooden platform surrounded by water. They walk across the platform to an old wooden shack.

"I know this place. This is Kilika about 30 years ago."

"Correct, you were about 5." The ghost says walking into the shack.

"This is where I lived as a boy."

"Yes it is." The ghost says. Inside the cabin is a small table, set for twelve people. A small fire burns in the fireplace and a man and woman stand by the table holding hands. Three children sit at the table waiting for dinner, the youngest, a boy with dark hair covering his eyes, making gagging sounds.

"_Auron cut it out!_" the woman yells. "_You know your father will be leaving us this evening." _

"_Sorry mom._" The boy says, dropping his head. "_Can we eat?_"

"_We have to wait for your aunts and uncles._" The man says.

After several minutes several people come through the door. Everyone hugs and shakes hands before sitting down at the table. They eat and talk amongst themselves for a while and then everyone walks into another room.

"_Mom, do you want us to go ahead and do the dishes?_" a girl around ten years old asks.

"_The dishes can wait. This may be the last time you get to see your father for a very long time._" The woman says, eyeing the man sadly.

"Kinoc why are you showing me this?"

"This is one of your earliest memories is it not?"

"Yes." Auron says dropping his head. The family in the other room begins to sing. Kinoc leads Auron to where they are. Auron watches as his 5 years old self, walks over and clings to his fathers hand as they sing. After several songs the family sits down, the adults on the chairs and the younger ones on the floor. Auron's father begins passing out gifts. The gifts are unwrapped, but everyone seems happy with whatever they got. Especially 5 year old Auron, who is holding a sword that belonged to his father.

After the gifts are all looked at or played with, the people begin to leave. After a while Kinoc and Auron follow 5 year old Auron and his family out to the boat dock. Auron's mom and dad kiss and exchange goodbyes, then Auron's oldest sister says her goodbyes to her father, followed by the sister in the middle and then 5 year old Auron. Auron and Kinoc get closer and listen at the goodbye.

"_Son, I know its a lot to ask a five year old, but will you watch out for your mother and sisters for me while I am away?"_

"_I sure will dad."_

"_Good. You hold down the fort while I am gone okay?"_

"_I sure will."_

"_I love you son."_

"_Love you too dad! I wish you didn't have to go."_

"_Me too son, me too."_

"_Daddy, when I grow up I want to be a Warrior Monk too."_

"_I know you do son, and you will be one fine Warrior Monk someday son."_

"_Dad I'll miss you."_

"_I'll miss you too son. Be good."_

"_I will dad."_

"_Do what your mother tells you."_

"_I will."_

The man kisses 5 year old Auron on the forehead before walking back to his wife and hugging her, before hugging the rest of the kids. Then he gets on the boat. His family stands watching him as the boat begins to drift away. 5 year old Auron stands watching it go, waving frantically with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Kinoc leads Auron away from his younger self and away from the dock.

"Where to now?" Auron asks

"You'll see." The ghost says. A few minutes later they step into a grassy area. Several people stands looking sad.

"Kinoc I don't need to see this." Auron says

"Yes you do." The ghost says. They get closer and see Auron's family surrounding something. A 5 or 6 year old Auron sits on the grass crying. Several young Warrior Monks stand with Auron's family listening as a summoner talks about Auron's father being a good man. Finally little Auron stands and watches as the other Warrior Monks fold a cape with the Warrior Monk symbol on it and hands it to his mother. Little Auron stands there with tears streaming down his cheeks and raises his right hand saluting his father one last time.

"Can we leave now?"

"And miss what happens next?" Kinoc says. Auron watches as his younger self sits down in the grass crying. Then suddenly fiends come out of nowhere. The fiends encircle everyone and begin attacking. One of the Warrior Monks pick little Auron up and begins running with him. Kinoc grabs Auron's arm and they follow the Warrior Monk.

Several minutes later they are standing in a large banquet hall. There is about a thousand young boys and girls eating dinner or dancing together. Auron and Kinoc walk around until they see a 19 year old Auron dancing with a girl around the same age. The 19 year old Auron looks saddened.

"Do I really need to see this?"

"Yes." The ghost says as he walks closer to the young couple dancing.

"_I'm sorry honey, but if I don't marry her I will be excommunicated."_

"_I know, I wish it could happen some other way."_

"_Yeah._"

"_Promise me you'll never forget me._"

"_I'll never forget you. I love you._"

"_I love you too. Couldn't we just leave tonight, and forget about everyone, about everything. We could go to Luca or Besaid and be together. You wouldn't have to marry her._"

"_I'm sorry but I can't. I have duties here, and I can't leave them._"

"_I know, but do you really love her?_"

"_No, I don't."_

"_Then tell her father, tell her father she would be better off with someone who cared about her."_

"_Okay, I'll talk to him."_

"_Can you just hold me right now?"_

"_Yeah."_

"Kinoc, let's go. I, I don't want to see this."

"No, we watch it!" The ghost says. They follow 19 year old Auron as he walks into a Maester's office and sits down. After several minutes of watching a fidgeting Auron, another man walks in.

"_Young man, have you reached your decision?"_

"_Yes, My Lord I have. I cannot marry your daughter, I do not love her."_

"_It is because your heart belongs to that, Cindy is it not?"_

"_My Lord, I do love Cindy."_

"_Young man my daughter wishes for your hand in marriage. I see that my daughter gets what she wants. You may leave."_

"_Thank you My Lord."_

They watch as the young Auron leaves the room and another man comes in to see the Maester.

"_My Lord, can I be of service to you?"_

"_Yes. Go in the district downtown and find a woman named Cindy. Make her suffer before you do her in."_

"_Yes My Lord."_ The man says before walking out.

Auron turns towards Kinoc. "Let's go."

"Okay old friend." Kinoc says and leads Auron out the door. They walk into an unfamiliar building.

"What is this?"

"You'll see." The ghost says. The Ghost leads Auron into a room where a small blond girl lies on a bed, clutching something to her, crying.

"Is that…

"You'll see." The Ghost says. The little girl wipes her tears and looks at the picture she was clutching.

"_Pops says you won't be coming back. I don't care I love you anyway. Mommy, we all miss you. Pops and Brother both says you're dead. I'm not for sure what that means, but I hope you are okay. You'll be alright won't you mommy? When you get better you can make Pops come out of his room and laugh again."_

"That's Rikku."

"Correct."

"Where is her father and brother?" Auron asks

"They're grieving somewhere."

"Someone should be with her."

"Yes, someone should. Just like when her home was destroyed a couple months ago, someone should have been with her then, as well."

"We needed to find Yuna."

"Another sorry excuse. It took three days for you to find Yuna and rescue her, you could have spent a little while trying to comfort a young girl whose home had just been destroyed, a young girl who gave up everything to save her cousin."

"It would have been inappropriate."

"And it's appropriate for a young girl to sit alone in a room and cry? Do you need to see her after her home was destroyed?"

"No. I'm sorry." Auron says.

"Sorry or not, follow me!" the Ghosts voice booms. Auron follows. The Ghost leads Auron through the airship. They can hear someone crying from inside one of the rooms. Kinoc and Auron watches as Tidus, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri all pass by the room barely stopping. Then they watch as the past Auron passes, he stops a second and listens to the sobbing then he walks on. Kinoc leads Auron into the room.

Its dark inside and Rikku lies curled up on the bed crying.

"What do I do?"

"There is nothing you can do now." Kinoc says. Auron walks over and sits on the bed. He reaches out as if to wipe the tears from Rikku's eyes but his hand goes straight through her. Auron looks at Kinoc.

"You show me these things, and tell me there is nothing I can do!"

"These are SHADOWS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN! They are what they are, do not blame me!" The Ghost's voice booms. "Now follow me!"

Auron follows Kinoc back out of the room. Now they are in the Calm Lands. Braska and Younger Auron stand before Sin, Braska calling the Final Summoning. Auron rushes forward and tries to stop Braska but he goes right through them. He watches with a pained look on his face as the Jecht Aeon emerges and breaks through Sins armor before Yu-Yevon possesses it and it turns on Braska. Auron falls to his knees and covers his eyes. "Kinoc, Spirit remove me from this place! I see this in my dreams every time I sleep, why do you put me through this?"

"Because Auron, there is nothing you could have done to prevent this! You need to get past it. You need to move on, that's what Braska and Jecht would want! Think of your life! Think of the right things you did! Think of the things you could have done that would have been right! Forgive yourself!"

"Anything Kinoc, Spirit take me back. Haunt me no longer!"

"As you wish." The Ghost says. Suddenly there is a bright light and Auron jerks up in bed sweating and breathing hard.

"What a dream." He says as he looks down. In his lap is a single white rose.


	3. Chapter 3

Just a couple more chapters until the end of this.

I do not own Final Fantasy or A Christmas Carol.

* * *

A Final Fantasy Christmas Carol

* * *

Auron held the rose out and looked at it. Where did it come from? There hadn't been a rose there before that dream, or was it a dream? Whatever it was had really shaken him up. He sat there thinking about the things the Spirit had shown him, the Spirit had been correct he couldn't have saved Braska or Jecht. Braska's mind had been made up long before he became his Guardian. He also couldn't have stopped his father from leaving them when he was just a boy. Actually most of the things that happened in his life he couldn't have stopped, but there were things he could have, no should have done to make it easier for the people around him.

Suddenly he feels cold and alone in his tent. Then the wind begins to howl. _The second will visit with the howling of the wind._ Auron looks up to see someone entering his tent.

"Tidus what are you doing up?"

"Hey old man, good to see you too."

"What are you doing here Tidus?"

"I am not Tidus, I am the Ghost of Christmas Present."

"But you're not dead. How?"

"Hey, just because I am alive doesn't mean I can't haunt you… after all I am a dream."

"Okay, what do you have to show me."

"Nothing much." Tidus says. "Arise and follow me."

"Alright." Auron says. He gets up and follows Tidus outside of the tent. They are in a pub somewhere and there is several people laughing and dancing. A Christmas tree is decorated in one corner of the room, and Christmas music is being played. "So what is this supposed to mean?"

"You'll see." Tidus says as he leads Auron through the pub. After a while they find Lulu, Wakka, Yuna, Rikku, and Kimahri all doing their own things. Yuna and Lulu sit at the bar watching Wakka. Wakka stands with a crowd of blitzers chatting. Kimahri stands back in the corner in silence, but Rikku sits at a table with her head down on her arms.

"So what is this?"

"After we defeat Sin, the Travel Agency on Mi'hen Highroad holds a Late Christmas Party for the High Summoner and her surviving guardians." Tidus says, "Too bad we don't get to attend."

"Yeah, I guess." Auron says. "Yuna misses you."

"I know." Tidus says. "At least in a little while I'll get to come back."

"I'm happy for you." Auron says. Then Lulu walks over to Wakka and they begin dancing slowly. "I thought those two liked each other."

"It answers a lot of questions doesn't it?"

"Yes it does." Auron says. "What's wrong with Rikku?"

"She misses us and she hasn't been feeling well lately." Tidus says. As if on cue Yuna walks over to Rikku. Rikku raises her head up exposing her face. She has dark circles under her eyes, and she looks pale.

"If she feels that bad why is she even here?"

"If she hadn't of came Yuna would have worried. You know Rikku, always trying to keep people from worrying about her, and always trying to make people feel better."

"Yes. Maybe when you come back it'll help her."

"She will be glad that I am back for Yuna, and she will be happy to see me, but I'm not the only one that she misses."

"Okay." Auron says. "She shouldn't miss me."

"She shouldn't, but she does." Tidus says.

"Tidus, she will eventually go back to the old Rikku won't she?"

"I don't know. She hasn't been feeling well lately but she won't admit that she is getting sick."

"She will be okay won't she?"

"I don't know, possibly."

"Possibly?"

"There are other possibilities."

"Are you saying that she could die?"

"Yes." The Tidus spirit says. "Let's take a look at what we'll be doing on Christmas day."

"Okay." Auron says. They walk out of the pub and are back on Gagazet, its daytime. The group tiredly trudges up the steep and winding path facing no fiends.

"See old man even the fiends take a break on Christmas."

"Okay." Auron says. They follow the group and watch as the youngest guardian continuously shadows and talks to the Auron in the group.

"She has faith in you."

"What is she saying?"

"Let's get close enough to hear." Tidus says and grabs Auron's arm pulling him forward.

"_Come on Auron, let's show 'em that you're not just a big meanie!" Rikku says, "Come on sing with me!"_

"_Rikku, we should concentrate on getting as far as we can today while there aren't any fiends around."_

"_You can walk and sing at the same time can't you?"_

"_Rikku, I am not singing with you."_

"_Come on, I know you're not just an old grouch!"_

"_And how do you know that?"_

"_If you were an old grouch, you would have hacked me in half with your huge sword by now."_

"_Rikku you're pushing you luck."_

"_Come on, say it with me 'Merry Christmas everyone.'"_

"_Rikku!"_

"_Just say it, or say, 'Merry Christmas Rikku.'"_

"_Rikku?"_

"_Yes." _

"_Be quite."_

"_Come on…_

"_Hmph!"_

"_Okay. Fine be a Scrooge."_

"_Very funny Rikku."_

"Oh man, has she always bugged you like that?"

"Yes, she has."

"Must be rough dealing with that all the time?"

"Its not too bad. Actually I think I would miss her if she stopped."

"I'm glad that being bugged constantly doesn't really bother you."

"Why are you and Wakka being so silent?"

"We are tired." The Tidus Spirit says, "And I am not really Tidus, as I said before I am the Ghost of Christmas Present. The Fayth they created Tidus by dreaming. The Fayth they created me from that same dream."

"So you're not real?"

"I am as real as Tidus."

"Then what will happen to you after tonight?"

"I suppose, I'll go on to haunt someone else."

"Are there anything else you need to show me?"

"Nothing else."

"Then take me back."

"As you wish." The spirit says.

Suddenly Auron wakes up in his sleeping bag. "How many nightmares can I have in one night?" he mumbles before noticing a single red rose in his lap. He gets out of the sleeping bag and stretches, and then he looks out. It's as if no time at all has passed. He walks around the camp checking on everyone. Inside Rikku's tent he sees that she is shivering all over. He kneels beside of her sleeping bag and touches her arm, its like ice. He stands and walks back to his tent and grabs his red coat. Then he takes it to the Al-Bhed's tent and drapes it over her.

"Sweet dreams Rikku." He says barely above a whisper. Then he turns and walks back to his own tent. Before he makes it back, he hears a bell ringing off in the distance. _The third will be here when the last bell tolls._ He walks into his tent and sees a robed figure lying on his sleeping bag. "Are you the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?"


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Final Fantasy or A Christmas Carol.

* * *

A Final Fantasy Christmas Carol

* * *

He walks into his tent and sees a robed figure lying on his sleeping bag. "Are you the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?" The figure gets off of the sleeping bag in silence. "Are you here to show me the things that have not happened yet, but will?" Still the figure remains silent. "Show me what you will spirit."

"I have much to show you." The spirit says, its voice neither male nor female.

"Why do you cover you face spirit?"

"Because mortal, I have no face, I am all that has happened in the past, and all that will happen in the future."

"Oh."

"Follow me." The spirit says. Auron follows closely behind the spirit. They walk out of the tent and into the streets of Luca. Several men stand by the water talking.

"_Did you hear about Sir Auron?" a man holding a cigar says._

"_What about him?"_

"_He's dead."_

"_You're kidding me, right Leon?"_

"_I wish I was."_

"_One of Spira's finest is dead. It's a tragedy."_

"_You know, I always looked up to him."_

"_Me too. I wanted to be a guardian because of him."_

"_What stopped you?"_

"_I couldn't leave my wife and son."_

"_That's good, you could have been killed and left your son fatherless."_

"_Exactly. I guess that's why Sir Auron never had a family, being a guardian was all he knew."_

"_Yeah, he didn't have many close friends either did he?"_

"_Well some of Lady Yuna's group spoke at his sending. The blitzer that claims to have played for that Zanarkand team, he spoke and said that Sir Auron was like a father to him. The Mage in Lady Yuna's party spoke and said he was a wise leader. Wakka, ya know Captain of the Aurochs, said he was a very valuable member of the party. The Ronso in the group, said a few words…_

"_But no one that wasn't in Lady Yuna's group said anything about him?"_

"_I don't think so. I've heard that that Al-Bhed chick from Lady Yuna's group spoke for him also and just about went to pieces."_

"_Didn't anyone say anything about him besides about how good of a leader and warrior he was?"_

"_I've heard the Al-Bhed chick talked about him being a good friend. Also the blitzer talked about him being like a father."_

"_Poor guy, he gave his life to save us, but didn't have many close friends."_

"_Yeah, you said it."_

"Spirit what's wrong with not wanting to become close to a lot of people when you know your times almost up? What's wrong with not wanting to hurt people?"

"There is nothing wrong with not wanting to hurt people. But Auron, every person you meet you touch their life in one way or another, every human does. It's inevitable. Everyone learns from each other. Whether you have a lot of friends, or not when you die people will miss you. It will hurt some people a lot, others won't be hurt as bad, some may not really care, but over all there will always be some that is hurt. If you only meet five people in life there will always be at least two of them that ends up hurt when you die. You would have to hide away and never meet anyone, in order to not hurt anyone, and then you would only be hurting yourself." The Spirit says, "Your Uncle did just that. He hid himself away from people, and then he died alone."

"I know."

"Would you like to see your sending?"

"Yes, I guess I would." Auron says. The Spirit leads him through the streets and into the Blitzball Stadium. The bleachers are full. Yuna and the rest of the Party stand on a balcony. A Sphere Projector projects Auron's image in the middle of the stadium. Tidus stands at the edge of the balcony with a microphone.

"_Auron, what can I say about him? He was like a father to me. When I was a boy, after my mother had died, he tried to comfort me. He always supported me, and he would come to a lot of my games to cheer for me. He was a good guy, strong, and was one of the smartest people I knew. He taught me to use a sword, and he taught me about girls, he also taught me many life lessons that have came in handy. As I said he was like a father to me, more like a father than my real father ever was. Auron we'll miss you."_

Then Wakka comes to the front of the balcony. _"Sir Auron, was the most valuable Guardian that Lady Yuna had. He will be missed."_

Then Lulu steps up. _"Sir Auron, was a wise leader. He was a strong fighter, brave, and courageous. We will miss him."_

Then Rikku steps up. _"Auron, he was a good guy. He was strong, brave, and handsome. He was my friend. He may have been grouchy, and a big meanie butt most of the time, but sometimes he would let his softer side show. He never once spoke ill of me because of my heritage. He was always the strongest one in our little group. I don't know if he took time to talk to us all or not, but sometimes if I was worried that I wasn't a good guardian he would talk to me, and make me feel like I was doing a good job whether I was or not. Maybe sometimes it seemed like our friendship was a little one-sided, but I knew I could always count on him. I never wanted to cry in front of you Auron, I was afraid you would think I was weak, and just a child. You may not have wanted a friend, but you ended up with one anyway. I miss you."_

Then someone that wasn't in the group stands up. _"Sir Auron, thanks for saving us. You will be missed."_

"Spirit can we leave now?"

"Yes." The Ghost says. The Ghost leads Auron out of the building. Now they are in the airship corridor. The Ghost leads Auron down the halls until they come up on Cid. His face hidden away in his hands.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He just heard the worst news he will ever hear."

"And what would that be?"

"His only daughter was found dead in her room, earlier this morning."

"Rikku?"

"Yes."

"She's really dead?"

"Yes."

"What happened to her?"

"She had been sick for over a year, she was tired of living, so she just gave up."

"Was it because of me?"

"It was partly because of you."

"Okay." Auron says.

"Go through that door." The Ghost says pointing to a door. Auron walks into a small bedroom. On the bed lies a blond haired corpse. "They've not performed the sending yet."

"That's Rikku?"

"Yes, she looks different doesn't she?"

"Yeah." Auron says. He walks over to the bed and looks down.

"Sad isn't it?"

"Yes. She was so full of life before, now she's…

"A corpse." The Ghost says.

"Spirit, I assume that since you are showing me this, I may be able to prevent it from happening?"

"Correct."

"How? What do I do?"

"I will tell you. First I have to show you what fate awaits you."

"Okay." Auron says glancing back at the bed and shaking his head. The Ghost leads him out of the room and now they are standing in the Farplane. They go down a green grassy patch with flowers on either side, the path appears to lead through a forest. Several birds chirp, and other sounds of nature surround them. It seems peaceful. The Ghost then leads him down the side of a hill, before shoving him over the side of a cliff. At the bottom it is dark and cold, there are no sounds. The ground is hard, gray, and cold. There doesn't seem to be a sky. "What is this place?"

"This is the Farplane, at least the part that you will spend eternity in. The part we passed through is the final resting place of those who lived happy lives."

"Oh."

"This will be what awaits you at the end." The Ghost says, "Unless you change. You don't have to change who you are. All you have to do is let people in. Learn to live a little. Stop looking forward to being sent. Enjoy your time on Spira. Love, have hope, have faith, not faith in Yevon, but faith in people. Take time to enjoy nature, take time to smell the flowers ever so often. Forgive yourself. Auron, learn to live."

"Is that all I have to do?"

"Yes it is."

"But spirit, once we defeat Sin I will be sent."

"Auron, you have been unsent for ten years correct?"

"Yes."

"What kept you here for these last ten years?"

"I had to keep some promises."

"But you did choose to stay?"

"Yes."

"Then couldn't you choose to stay once more?"

"Yes, I guess."

"Okay."

"Is that all spirit?"

"Yes." The Ghost says.

Auron wakes up in his sleeping bag, back in his tent. A single Apple Blossom lying in his lap. He smells the blossom before laying it with the other flowers. Then he hears someone talking outside of his tent. He gets up and walks out. Rikku and Yuna are already up fixing breakfast.

"Good morning Auron!"

"Morning Sir Auron."

"Good morning Rikku, Yuna." He says as he walks over to them. "What are you two fixing? It smells good."

"Nothing much Sir Auron, just eggs and bread."

"Okay." Auron says. "We should begin waking everyone up, we have a busy day today."

"I know." Yuna says. A few minutes later they have woken everyone up and are eating breakfast. Auron sits there studying the different faces in the group and listens at them talking back and forth. After a while he stands.

"Rikku, after breakfast, I would like to see you alone for a minute." He says.

"Okay Auron, um sure thing."

"Ooh Rikku are you in trouble?" Wakka and Tidus ask.

"Tidus, Wakka, I need you two to pack up the tents after breakfast." Auron says, "Yuna, you and Lulu watch those two and make sure they pack up the tents right, I don't want to find them tied into knots like last time."

"Yes sir." Yuna says. Everyone finishes eating in silence, dreading the hard day before them. Finally Rikku finishes eating and sits her plate down. She stands and walks over to Auron.

"I'm ready." She says looking at her feet.

"Follow me." He says and leads her away from the group.


End file.
